The present invention relates to a sheetlike article for laundry.
An article for laundry, which has a sheetlike shape and which comprises a layer containing a detergent composition and comprises a water-soluble substance being arranged on the both sides of the said layer, have been known. In JP-A 10-72599, it is mentioned as a characteristic feature of the said shape that leak of the content can be prevented and that the shape is stable against the shock during transportation and filling of carton etc. However, in the said patent, there is neither specific suggestion nor description at all for the property of the sheetlike article which can be easily handled by hand or for a favorable physical property of the sheetlike article having an excellent stability of the shape against the shock during transportation and the filling.
Under such circumstances, there has been a keen demand for the means for a sheetlike article which satisfies the requirements of both easy handling and stability of shape against shock.
The present invention provides a sheetlike article for laundry, comprising a layer containing at least one composition (hereinafter, which may be referred to as xe2x80x9cdetergent composition or the likexe2x80x9d) selected from the group consisting of a detergent composition, a fiber softener composition and a bleaching agent composition, comprising a water-soluble substrate connected with the layer on both sides thereof, and having the flexibility parameter calculated by the following method in the range of from 3 to 6.
(Method for Calculating the Flexibility Parameter)
A sheetlike article for laundry, which has the thickness of h (cm), the length of a (25-fold of h) and the width of b (1.5 cm), is placed on 2 supports where the distance between the supporting points is L (16-fold of h). Then, at the point of L/2 on the said support, a load is applied by descending a tooth-profiled pushing rod at the rate of 2 cm/minute against the direction of width of the said sheetlike article for laundry and, when:the resulting maximum load is determined as F (N), the flexibility parameter is calculated from the following formula.
xe2x80x83Flexibility parameter=log[(3xc3x97Fxc3x97L)/(2xc3x97bxc3x97h2)xc3x97104]
Preferably, the detergent composition or the like contains a nonionic surfactant.
It is also preferable that the detergent composition or the like contains a nonionic surfactant (a) and polyalkylene glycol (b) having the flow point of not lower than 40xc2x0 C., that (a)/(b) is from 99.9/0.1 to 70/30 (by weight) and that (a)+(b) is 3-50% by weight.
Further, it is preferable that the detergent composition or the like contains a nonionic surfactant and an anionic surfactant.
The composition is preferably a detergent composition.